Brake for velocipedes



(N0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet; 1.

W. o. ARAM-my. BRAKE FOR VELOIPEDES.

No. 581,038. Patented Apr, 20, 1.897..

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W. C. RANNEY.

BRAKE FOR VELOGIPEDES.

No. 581,038. Patented Apr. 20, 1897.

wlNEssEs.: INVENTOR yy/@HM ATTORNEYS,

PATENT EEicE.

NVILLIAM Ci RANNEY, OF ELBRIDGE, NEW YORK.

BRAKE FOR VELOClPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 581,038, dated April 20, 1897.

Application iiled .Tuly 18, 189 5.

To all whom t may concern.:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. RANNEY, of Elbridge, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, have invented new and useful Improvements in Brakes for Velocipedes, of which the following, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to improvements in Io brakes particularly applicable for use with bicycles and other velocipedes, and has for its object the production of a device which is extremely light and eliicient and is easily operated; and to this end it consists, essentially, in the construction of the component parts of the brake, all as hereinafter fully described, and pointed out in the claims.

In describing this invention reference is had to the accompanying drawings, forming zo a part of this specification, in which like letters indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Figure 1 is a vertical section, partly in elevation, of the head and handle-bar of a bicycle provided with my improved brake. Figs.

2 and 3 are detail vertical sections taken, respectively, on lines 2 2 and 3 3, Fig. l. Figs. 4 and 5 are horizontal sections taken, respectively, on lines 4 Ll, Fig. 2, and 5 5, Fig. l. 3o Fig. 6 is an elevation, partly in section, of the clam ping-plates engaged with the brake-shoe; and Fig. 7 is a transverse section taken on line '7 7, Fig. l.

A is the brake-shoe, and B a suitable spring 3 5 for holding the same in its inoperative position,and, as is obvious, both of these parts may be of any desirable form, size, and construction. Two ears a ct project from the upper face of the shoe A between its opposite eX- .io tremities and are pivoted at a to the head C of a bicycle or velocipede of any desirable construction provided with my invention. The rear end of the shoe A engages the outer peripheral face (indicated by the dotted line l, Fig. l) of a wheel-tire, (not illustrated) and its front end is provided with an aperture a?, which preferably consists of a slot extending inwardly from its front edge. The shoe A is preferably forced into operative position 5o against the action of the spring B by a handpiece D, presently described, but, if desired,

Serial No. 555,353. (No modali) the riders foot may be utilized to actuate said shoe.

The handpiece D is loosely mounted on the handle-bar E, which is formed with an internal chamber e and is provided with a hollow standard e', preferably journaled in the head C and having its lower end open and arranged above the front end of the shoe A.

Endwise movement of the handpiece D is prevented by annular projecting shoulders e2 e3, secured to the handle-bar E and engaged with the opposite ends of the handpiece. The shoulders e2 c3 are preferably provided upon the opposite ends of the collars et, which encircle the handle-bar and project within the handpiece D for forming a bearing therefor. The outer collar e4 is adjustable lengthwise of the handle-bar E and is preferably engaged and held in position by an adjustable and removable plug e5, which closes the outer end of said handle-bar and is provided with an eXteriorly-threaded iange screwing within said handle-bar.

The inner peripheral face d of the handpiece D is of greater diameter than the handle-bar and is provided with threads d', which are engaged by threads fupon the outer face of an operating-piece F, movable lengthwise of said handpiece and handle-bar. The operating-piece F preferablyconsists of an outer ring f', arranged within the handpiece and encircling the handle-bar, and an inwardlyprojecting arm f2, which projects into the interior of the adjacent portion of the handlebar through a longitudinal slot e6 therein.

The revoluble movement of the handpeice D moves the operating-piece F lengthwise of the handle-bar by means of the threads d f, and connections between said operating-piece and the brake-shoe A force the shoe against the action of the spring B into operative position.

It is obvious that various means may be used for connecting the operating piece to the brake-shoe, but I preferably use a iiexible cord Gr, formed of wire or other suitable material and having its central portion passed over a rounding engaging face e7, supported within the handle-bar at substantially the point of union of the standard e with said handle-bar. The opposite ends of the cord G IOO may be permanently secured to the operatingpiece and the brake-shoe, but as the length and adjustment ot the handle-bar vary I so secure said cord that its length may be adjusted at either end.

The upper end of the cord Gr is passed through two substantially parallel perforat-ions f1 in the inner or free extremity f3 of the arm f2 of the operating-piece F and may be readily adj usted in said pcrforations. The lower end oi' the cord G is movable through grooves 71, formed in the adjacent faces of clamping-plates II, which are Iirmly secured together by a clamping-bolt 7L' for holding the cord Gin its adjusted position. The grooves 7L extend downwardly from the upper ends of the clamping-plates, and the lower ends of said plates are detachably engaged with the front end of the shoe A, and are formed with contracted necks tfor entering the groove a2 and rounding upper and lower shoulders h3 h1 for engaging the upper and lower faces of the adjacent portion of said brake-shoe.

In addition to its use asa brake my invention is also applicable for locking the front wheel from movement when the bicycle or velocipcde is not in use and is supported byan upright wall.

The operation of my brake for velocipedes will be readily understood upon reference to the foregoing description and the accom panying drawings, and as it is obvious that the exact detail construction and arrangement of its component parts may be somewhat varied without departing from the spirit of my iuvention I do not herein specifically limit myself to such exact detail construction and arrangement.

IIa-ving thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, isu

l. In a brake i'or bicycles, the combination with a movable brake-shoe, a hollow handlebar provided with a lengthwise slot in one end and having a hollow standard, and a llexible connection passed through the handle-bar and standard and connected to the brakeshoe; of collars c encircling the slotted end of the handle-bar, one of the collars being adjustable toward and awayfrom the other and the outer ends of said collars being provided with annular projecting shoulders e'2 e3, a handpiece l) revoluble on the slotted end of the handle-bar and having its opposite ends mounted on the collars e4 between the shoulders e2 e3, the inner peripheral face ot the handpieee being threaded and separated Yfrom the adjacent portion of the peripheral face of said slotted end of the handle-bar, and au operating-piece l1 comprising an outer ring f encircling said slotted end of the handlebar and having its outer peripheral face provided with threads engaged with the threads of the inner peripheral face of the hand piece, and an inwardly-extending arm f2 movable in the slot of said end ol' the handle-bar and having its inner extremity f adj ustably connected to the exible connection, substantially as and for the purpose speciied.

2. In a brake for bicycles, the combination with a movable brake-shoe, a hollow handle-- bar provided with a lengthwise slot in one end and having a hollow standard, and a flexible connection passed through the handle-bar and standard and connected to the brakeshoe; of collars el encircling the slotted end of the handle-bar, the outer one of the collars being adjustable toward and away from the other and the outer ends of said collars being provided with annular projecting shoulders e2 e3, a handpiece D revoluble on the slotted end of the handle-bar and having its opposite ends mounted on the collars el between the shoulders e2 e3, the inner peripheral l'ace of the handpiece being threaded and separated from the adjacent portion of the peripheral face of said slotted end of the handlebar, a plug e5 for closing the outer extremity of the slotted end of the handle-bar, said plug being engaged with said outer adj ustable collar and having an exterioily-threaded ilange serew ing within the handle-bar, and an operatingpiece comprising an outer ring fl encircling said slotted end ot the handle-bar, and cngaged with the threads of the inner peripheral face of the handpiece, and an inwardlyextending arm f2 movable in the slot ot said end of the handle-bar and having its inner extremity connected to the flexible connection, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In a brake for velocipedes, the combination of a brake-shoe formed with an aperture therein opposite clamping-plates having their inner faces provided with grooves extending downwardly from their upper ends and their lower ends formed with contracted necks for entering said aperture, and upper and lower shoulders for engaging the adjacent portion ot' the brake-shoe, a clamping-bolt for securing said plates together, a movable handpiece, and a connection having one end arranged in the grooves of the clamping-plates and its opposite end connected to the handpiece, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name, in the presence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, this 5th day of July, 1805.

TILLIAM C. RANNEY. lVitnesses:

E. A. Wmsnene, Il.. E. Cnxsn.

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